1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the article packaging field and more particularly to a novel net-like packaging wrapper for produce and other articles.
2. Prior Art
The packaging art is replete with a vast assortment of packaging wrappers and the like for produce and other articles. The present invention is concerned primarily with produce packaging and will be described in this context. It will become evident as the description proceeds, however, that the packaging wrapper of the invention may be used for purposes other than packaging produce.
Some types of fresh produce, such as berries and the like, are frequently sold in open topped produce boxes while other produce article, such as celery, lettuce and the like, are not generally so packaged. Packaged wrappers, however, are often used for both boxed and unboxed produce. In the case of boxed produce, for example, a packaging wrapper in the form of a cap-like cover is often secured over the open tops of produce filled boxes, such as berry boxes. In the case of some unboxed produce, such as lettuce, grapes and the like, a packaging wrapper is often secured about the produce.
Produce packaging wrappers of this kind serve several purposes. In the case of boxed produce, for example, the wrapper keeps the contents in the boxes and prevents customers from removing produce articles from or adding articles to the boxes, as well as from handling the articles. In the case of the wrapped produce, such as lettuce and grapes, the wrapper retains the produce in a compact condition and shields the produce against direct contact with customer's hands. In both cases, the wrapper retains moisture in the produce to prolong its shelf life.
Produce packaging wrappers of this kind must satisfy certain requirements to be acceptable. For example, the wrappers must be sufficiently durable to withstand the handling to which they are subjected in storage, shipment, and sale. Further, the wrappers must have openings to assure proper ventilation of the produce, as required to preserve the freshness of the produce. The wrappers must also permit viewing of the produce and must be capable of conforming to the particular produce to be packaged.
A wide variety of such produce wrappers have been devised. As stated, a cap or cap-like cover is often used to cover the open tops of produce-filled boxes. Such caps have several shortcomings, among which are that individual caps are made to fit only one size box, that they frequently fall off or become detached, they do not accommodate varying or heaping amounts of contents, and involve the problem of reducing or eliminating visibility of the contents because of condensation or fogging of moisture on the caps. Transparent film packaging wrappers are often utilized. Such plastic films also have the shortcoming of visibility of the contents being reduced or eliminated by fogging or condensation of moisture on the plastic. The reduced visibility requires re-packing of boxes or baskets each time they are removed from a storage cooler or refrigerator for display.
One type of wrapper which is widely used for both boxed and unboxed produce, consists of a transparent plastic film having parallel rows of spaced slits wherein the slits in adjacent rows are staggered in a way which renders the film stretchable edgewise in a transverse direction of the slit rows. The prior art also contains a variety of stretchable net-like wrappers which are used for packaging and other purposes. A woman's hair net, for instance, is one example of such a net "wrapper." Another existing stretchable net-like wrapper, which is sometimes used to package candles, is fabricated from a net-like material produced by several different companies, such as Dupont Company which markets the material under the trade name VEXAR. The net-like wrapper made from this material, is generally of tubular form and, in this form, is ideally suited for candle packaging purposes. This net material is also made into bags by closing one end of the tube by a tie band, cardboard bottom wall, or the like.
The net material mentioned above will be described in more detail later. Suffice it to say here that the material possesses the unique ability to stretch edgewise in one direction to several times its unstretched dimension and to contract by elastic strain energy to its original dimension. The tubular wrapper referred to, for example, is stretchable to several times its unstretched diameter and, when released, contracts to its original unstretched diameter.